Power generator



March 9 1926.

w. 'M. SMITH POWER GENERATOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 7 March 9 1926;

W. M. SMITH POWER GENERATOR 1925 5' Sheets-Sheet. 2

Filed March 7 FIG. 2

March 9 1926.

W. M. SMITH POWER GENERATOR Filed Ma 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 9 1926. 1,576,373

' W. M. SMITH POWER GENERATOR V 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March '7 1925 March 9 1926. 1,576,373

w. M. SMITH POWER GENERATOR Filed March '7 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 a up of In u'ilc Patented Mar. 9, 1926.

WILLIAM SMITH, or TURTLE GREEK, "PENNSXLVAN'IA.

GENERAEQR.

Application. filed March '7, 1925. serial No. next-7.

To on whom e't-may ,couoeom Be it known :that I, XVI-unmet lVL, Sunni,

a citizeno'f the United States oi ihlnericarsriesiding. at Tulitle Greek, an the county rot legiheny i and :State of E61]DS "lLVHl1Zl-, rheue vented certain new and useful Improvements in Power Generatoi-rsnof which :the cfiollowing is i a. specification.

ilihis invent'onrelates to, improvements in elastic fluid powerrgenerators. c,

llhe primary-object of .t-hisinvention isito provide an improved "form. of ipower generator :of theitype adapted tohe driven by a flDW'JOf elastic fluid, such as air. 7

A further object ofl'the invention is to provide :apower 1g61'1813t01 of the above inentionedtype wherein employedlis :the mature flow of air 'tluiougha-staok.

to iprovide artificial means for iboosting'tzlie airivithin: the: stack to increase the speed of travel of the same, whereby the generated power will be increased proportionately.

IQther objects and advantages of the Einvention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

. In the. accompanying, drawings fonniing a part of tlii-s' specification andain whichdike numerals are employed to .idesignate like. parts throughout thegsame,

Figure (1 isa fragmentary VQIiElC-ZIlZSGO- tional viewof the power generatoremlooclying itliis invention,

Figure 2 is autransver-se seotional -.view of the structure shown in Fig. 1,

"Figure .13 is A a transverse seetional view of the ioase portion :of: the structure shown in Fig. 1,

Figure r 4. is @a fragmentary vertical se etional view of the lease iportionshown in Figure 5 is a detail vertical seetional view of it one of the shaft idrivingv miiits shown in elevation in Fig. 1,

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional =vieW taken-upon line VL-"VI of Fig. 5,

Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view taken upon line VIL- VI'I of Fig. 5,

Figurefi is. a '1110 dified form: otibladez-struoture .usedlin combination with the unit, shown in Figs. '5 anch 6;

:Figure 9 1s a detail elevational iview of .a

heating system employed in connection with the generator shown :in Fig. 1' and constitutesnneans forheating thelairvcurrent passthedrining medium Ar-Stillifurthd =-ohjeotiof the invention :is.

'epw fi li o gh the stack portion set the, generat r,

Fienne 10. is aide ail' inerepective view of; lnetlified, town of vane employed ill: mot n with the units'shown in. Figs-(:5. an .6, :F-igu1.'e "11 is a flf tgnleil'tt l y' eleva ienal view of. ie 'upneinnertion o he-p ue ngen ta-tel mb dying .LS inven ion, 7

Figure 312.: :is a nensne se s tional view ta en upon. line XII- 1 of le ds Figure 13: is :a detail eleuationali view, partly broken WfiY5nTQihQ mounting ertile; PP end" of the ower shatt-of it'lie 1g neiie torremboclying this. invent-ion; v a i i In the. drawings, where efor th pu pose ot'illus etion ses winl iptefetred embod inentaoi this inventiomthe nunenalsedesignetesthe hollovv base pontion- CEQIglllQd. with the communi ating, med ly ex endingripes sagew-ays 6 through which air {is permitted to enter the basse Extending perpendicue l'arlyifromthe beset and need: Q IIQ lifiitllytllQFQWitllilSz-a .k. n 13 611 is suprported; or nbrjieed :by the diemetr elilyc rrangedneirs'ofinteeconneetedleamsfiwthe oute iheaim-s in earh :pair; ibeing tinnitus-t d: in rFlg'; illl as extending beyon th uppe endfi uof the sta ,1 7 ferlb i gtenneet dw by the transverselyeiitending brace {bars 9.

In Figs. =1 to it 'inolusive the passegenia-ys 6 {are iilliistmted: as heingzprovitlfld ith Me ticallyilnoveble doors. or na ratives 1Q Whit may he aegnla edito vary he amount of ei admitted :to the, ihollow base 5,, the cle tsmr valves j 10 being maintained or held; .atany desitedielevation by means ,ot the Weights. t1; conneetedto Lthezlnemhers .10 :by tthei lqrds; 12. In Fig. 3, each passageway (11'- tratethas being provided with beating); lenientrig-employed for i ee ingi theflO WiQfJ ir passing throughithe .sa-me- An additional entrance or pessagewey 5%, 18a shown and is pr vidediwith sue ienip mp lfiby aneans "oiuvhichzairfniey be drawn into thestaek (Z- a InfFigs. Land eithe bore bt-tlieistaek 'l illustrated as, being form d wi h :sil alilyx extending grooves. 16 avhiehcoperate toieauee theicurrent of air passingiupiv ardly t the stack *to whirl aspirally. Th s W, movement isiinton led toincreee h need ottheqaovvershatt, :to bedescribe'cl et'iitrlfiillfiif point, "by impingingagainst. -;the surfa es (of 110 the generally, ;-spir.a1ly ifornied: p wer u its earried hy saidssha ft. I

To permit ready access to be had with the bore of the'stack 7, a stairway 17 winds spirally around the said stack and permits a person to enter the bore of the latter through the doors 18 which open thereto.

For the purpose of heating the current of air passing upwardly through the bore of the stack, a steam system 19 isarranged in the said bore and includes the coil sections 20, as best illustrated in Figs. '1, 2 and 9.

Arranged at suitable intervals throughout the length of the stack 7 are the transversely extending I-beams 21 which are employed for supporting the power shaft extending upwardly through the said stack. Each I- beam2l isshown in Figs. 5'a-nd 7 as being provided with a drum-shaped bearing box 22 having extending therethru the upper end portion of a shaft section 23. It s tobe understood that this power shaft is formed of a plurality of shaft {sections 23 bolted together, as at 24, at their adjacent ends' Each shaft section is provided with a wheel-like body 25 whichis bolted thereto asat 26. Mounted within-thedrum 22 and interposed between the bottom ZLDCl'PGl'lPheral walls of thewheel-like body 21 are the ller bearings 27, 28, and 29, the roller bearings 29 acting as ythrust bearings for supporting the shaft sections against longitudinal downward movement.

Each shaft section has suitably mounted thereon a cylindrically-shaped hollow body 30 which is open at its upper end 31 and closed at its lower-end 32. The bottom'wall 32- of each cylindrical body is provided withr a door 33by means of which a mechanic may gain entrance to the interior of the saidbody. The side wall of each cyllndrrcal body is.also provided with a door 34 whlch permits access to the interior of the body. Suitably bolted to the periphery of each cylindrically-shaped body are a plurality of vanes 35 which wind spirally 'therearound.- These vanes may be formed to extend truly laterally, as shown in Fig. 5 or they may becurved outwardly and downwardly, as shown at 36 in Fig; 10,

' Each shaft section has mounted thereupon, within the bore of its hollow cylindricallyshaped body 30 a plurality of clamps 37 I which are arranged one above the other and. have projecting laterally from each a blade stem 38 which extends outwardly thru the side wall of the cylindricall -shaped body 30 and is formed into a blade'39. It will be seen that these blade stems 38 project through the openings 38* in the wall of the member'30 whichopenings 38 are arranged in a spiral path, as best illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. This arrangement of blades 39 will-cause the upward current of air to impi'nge against their bottom faces for aiding the vanes 35 in driving the sectional power shaft. It will be seen byinspecting Figs.

5 and 6 that the blade stems 38 are threaded into the clamps 37, and are providedwith lock nuts 40 by means of which the blades may be adjusted for varying their transverse inclinations and for locking said blades in such adjusted positions.

It will be see-n by inspecting Figs. 1 and 2 that the blades 39 of the various cylindrically-shaped bodies 30 are arranged around all of the same to form one complete spiral. If desired, however, the structure shown in Fig. 8 may be employed which includes a pair of laterally projecting blades 41 carried by each clamp 42, which is of a double construction.

The mounting for the upper end'of the upper section of the power shaft is shown in Fig. 13 as includinga bearing box 43 fastened to the transversely extending brace bars 9 and'having the shaft'section '23 journaled therein and supported by the ball bearings 44. In Figs. 11 to 13 inclusive, this upper end of the upper shaftsection is illustrated as projecting beyond the u per end 7 of the stack. This. projecting s aft section is intended to plurality of clamp structures,.as best illustrated in Fig. the numeral 45. Each clamp'structure 45 is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed blades 46 which are threaded at their. inner ends into the clamp structures 45 and be provided with y a 13, which are-designated by are provided with lock nuts 47 by means of j which they maybe maintained in different positions for varying thelr transverse incllnation. I

In Figs. 1, 3 and 4 the lower end of the power shaft is illustrated as having keyed thereto a bevel gear 48 which constantly mesheswitha bevel gear 49 carried by a horizontally extending shaft 50 mounted in the bracket bearings 51. two 52 is mounted upon this shaft 50 and is controlled by the shift lever 53, as best illustrated in Fig. 3. Thisclutch structure is employed for selectively connecting the pulley 54 to the shaft for permitting power to be taken off of the latter thereby.

'It is now believed that the features of construction of this power generator will be clearly understood from the above detail description. 5

The operation of this It will be understood that with all of the valves or doors 10 closed, the only air entrance into the hollow base will .be through the passageway 14 which entrance is provided with the suction pump 15. If desired, this pump may be operated for drawing air into the hollow base 5 while all of the gates:

or valves 10 are closed. The air sucked into the hollow base 5 will naturally pass upwardly through the stack 7 and will be causedto Whirl spirally through .the same.

A clutch struc-- power generator .may be described as follows by the grooves 16 formed therein. This spirally whirling air will impinge against the vanes and the blades 39, carried by the cylindrically-shaped bodies 30 and will cause the said bodies, which are rigidly fastened to the power shaft sections 23, to rotate for driving the said power shaft. Due to the necessarily rigid characteristics of the vanes 35, any adjustability of the same is impossible. In view of the desirability of being able to adjust the angularity of the air impinging surfaces carried by the cylindrical bodies 30, to produce more minute control of the speed of the shaft sections, the blades 39 are provided and are made adjustable. It is also considered that the upwardly traveling air current in close proximity to the grooved wall of the stack will have a more pronounced spiral whirl than will the air currents close to the cylindrical bodies and, for this reason, it is considered more advisable to provide the solid vanes close to the bodies 30 and the spaced blades 39 to function close to the grooves 16, whereby any danger of dead or back-traveling air close to the grooved walls, likely to be produced by solid vanes at this point, will be eliminated. The power produced by the rotating of this shaft may be utilized by connecting any desired apparatus to the pulley 5% carried by the horizontal shaft 50. If desired, the speed of rotation of the power shaft may be increased by opening any one or all of the doors or valves 10 for permitting air to pass into the base through the passages 6. It is to be understood that the air may beadmitted to the base 5 through the passages 6 without ne-.

cessitating the operating of the section pump 15.

For the purpose of increasing the speed of travel of the air through the bore of the stack 7, the electric heating elements 13 may be supplied with electricity. To further increase the speed of travel of the air, the steam heating system 19 with its radiator coils 20 may be supplied with steam. It will be understood that this steam heating system will raise the temperature of the air within the bore of the stack for causing the air to more rapidly travel upwardly therethrough.

The blades 46 carried by the upper projecting end of the powershaft are provided for utilizing the heated air discharged from the upper end of the stack to aid in driving the power shaft. The air discharged from the upper end 7 of the stack 7 will impinge against the lower faces of these blades 46 for providing additional means to drive the power shaft.

It is now believed that the operation of this power generator will be completely understood by those skilled in the art. It is to be understood that the forms of this invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described the invention, I claim a a 1. In a power generator of the type described, a stack having an'open upper end, means for admitting air into said stack at its lower end, a rotatable shaft extending axially through said stack, said shaft consisting of a series of connected sections, a cylindrically-shaped body mounted on each shaft section, a plurality of vanes extending spirally around each of said bodies against which the air passing upwardly through said stack may impinge to cause rotation of said shaft, and a plurality of blades extending laterally from each cylindrically-shaped body and arranged in a spiral series.

2. In a power generator of the type described, a stack having an open upper end, means for admitting air into said'stack at its lower end, a rotatable shaft extending axially through said stack, said shaft consisting of a series of connected sections, a cylindrically-shaped body mounted on each shaft section, a plurality of vanes extending spirally around each of said bodies against which the air passing upwardly through said stack may impinge to cause rotation of said shaft, and a plurality of blades extending laterally from each cylindrically-shaped body and arranged in a spiral series, said blades being adjustable to vary the transverse inclination of-their air contacting sur faces.

3. In, a power generator of the type described, a stack having an open upper end, means for admitting air into said stack at its lower end, a sectional shaft rotatably mounted in said stack and projecting from the upper end thereof, ;a. cylindricallyshaped body mounted on each shaft section, means carried by each of said bodies and extending spirally therearound against which the upwardly traveling air current may impinge to cause rotation of said shaft, and a plurality of transversely inclined blades carried by the projecting end of said sectional shaft against which the air current leaving the upper end'of the stack may implugs for aiding in driving the sectional around, and, agplura-lity of blades clamped one above the other to each shaft section Within its oylindrioallyrshaped body and projecting laterally from theshaftsection through; the, wall of its cylindrical body.

5. Infa power generator of the type described, & stack, a, sectional shaft jour led in the bore there fi, an. antir ct n bea i g support for the upper end portion of each shaft section, a cyli drica y h ned h ll body rigidly fastenedto each shaft section,

plurality ofvgnesbplfed to the periphery of e ch odyand ex nd gsvim y ther around, and a plurality pl blades eluinped one above, the other to eachisha-ftseetion pr je ing lateral y; fro ha seetio acljus table to vary the trans- .xyithhnjts oylindrieally-sl aped -.body,a,nd 1

In teshimony, whereof I giflix my signature. r

,WILLIA M- MITH: 

